Site move conundrum

[thepoacher]

I have a rather complicated set of questions about a site move that I'm hoping I can get some advice on - bear with me...

We're currently in the process of decommissioning a website and brand (Holidays in Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily - Voyages Ilena) and redirecting traffic to 1 existing site, which has been around for a number of years (Corsica Holidays, Villas, Hotels and Apartments with Corsican Places) and 1 new site (Sardinia Holidays with Sardinian Places - this, at present is merely a holding site, the new site is on its way) and are debating the best way to deal with the redirections.

The 2 poles of opinion would seem to be that we keep the site and put a bunch of links throughout to redirect customers to the new site until such time as the new sites have gained some healthy rankings and the brand switch has sunk in; or we simply remove the site completely and put 301s on all the links.

I think we're veering toward the latter but there are a couple of issues. We'd need to redirect to 2 different sites - is this a problem? And what to do with people that merely search for the brand term 'Voyages Ilena'? Do we risk sending customers to a new site and confusing and alienating them?

All in all I think redirects with some clear documentation on the new sites to highlight the change of brand etc is probably the way forward but I just wanted some second opinions...

Many thanks in advance

Matt

[SemAdvance]

Before I worried about redirects I would worry more about where you are learning absolutely comical SEO methods. Those super long tail keyword terms you are using are going to have little to no monthly searches.

Only one link from this site, would be counted as worthwhile to your site, so all the other links in your posts and your signature have less value than the time it took you to write them.

Your probably shooting yourself in the foot more than helping yourself.

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As for redirects, 301 to the new domain and explain to returning visitors that you made a move to the new domain. The sooner you make the move the sooner the search engines can pick up the move and start to make needed adjustments to their database of information regarding your site.

Otherwise you should have collected an e-mail list of current customers from the old site so that you could mail them and explain the upcoming changes.

Best of luck and try not to read too much SEO misconceptions.....

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by thepoacher

I think we're veering toward the latter but there are a couple of issues. We'd need to redirect to 2 different sites - is this a problem?

How will it be determined to which of the 2 sites visitors should be directed?

Originally Posted by thepoacher

And what to do with people that merely search for the brand term 'Voyages Ilena'? Do we risk sending customers to a new site and confusing and alienating them?

It's not clear what you concern here is. Presumably you are addressing returning visitors. But, what is it that you think will confuse such?

[thepoacher]

Well, thanks for the advice SEM Advance (a self-proclaimed moniker, I assume) and I'm glad I gave you some entertainment. I don't come on here for any half-arsed link value, the sites mentioned are doing just fine as they are thanks. All links I post get get transformed the way they appear in my original post.

And you're absolutely correct of course. Holidays in Corsica has barely any monthly searches. That's we get over 1000 UVs a day.

Thanks

Matt

[Peopleunit]

My first thoughts would be to place a prominent notice telling your visitors about the new changes - splitting the site in two - with prominent links inviting your visitors to select one of the new sites. Similar to having a visitor select a particular language version, except you're having them select which of the new sites they wish to explore further.

Assuming no conflict, aside from the notices I'd leave the existing site intact to begin with... display the notices site-wide via CSS if applicable, and ask visitors to update their bookmarks/favorites using one or both of the new sites.

Gradually MOVE content from your existing site to one of the new ones (avoiding the duplicate content issue). Simultaneously, replace the content on the old pages with 'time delayed redirects' or give them a choice option as I already described - explaining the move/changes (you don't want the old pages to suddenly just disappear altogether, that would cause a rash of dead links and lost search engine traffic).

If you have a user base you can email, then by all means, let them know via email.

When traffic to the new sites has picked up and the old site has dwindled to nothing, just show the "selection notice" on your old home page, linking to the new sites for a while... and eventually just drop the old site.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by thepoacher

I have a rather complicated set of questions about a site move that I'm hoping I can get some advice on -

Site move conundrum